“The cool part about being on the show is that I get to represent South County because that’s where I truly live,” says Gina Kirschenheiter, cast member of the “Real Housewives of Orange County,” who calls Rancho Mission Viejo home. “At the beginning of my time on the show, they would always send me to areas like Newport Beach, which I love, but I don’t live there.”
Although the Bravo series highlights many coastal Orange County restaurants — most notably, the Quiet Woman in Corona del Mar, which played host to one of the entire franchise’s most infamous restaurant scenes, which involved Shannon Beador, former castmate Kelly Dodd, and a tossed plate — Kirschenheiter notes that some of her favorite dining spots, located in South County, are rarely seen on the show.
SEE ALSO: Real Housewives of Orange County finale: Tears and truth serum
“Honestly, my favorite place to go to is Five Vines Wine Bar in San Juan Capistrano. It’s such a special place for (boyfriend Travis Mullen) and me,” she says, adding, “When I first started going there, I was still drinking and, yes, it is a wine bar, but Travis and I still go there around once a week because we’re so in love with the food and the space.”
Kirschenheiter’s regular order here is a meat board, which come with either soppressata, smoked prosciutto, chorizo, or smoked pastrami salmon. Other highlights at this family-owned eatery/wine bar near the train tracks include a pear and brie skillet melt, a crispy chicken sandwich, caramelized onion and mushroom pasta and other comfort-food fare. Although the reality star is now a teetotaler, the award-winning restaurant also features more than 65 boutique wines from which to sip. “The food is bomb and so is the hospitality,” she adds.
The “Housewives” star also names Brussels Bistro in San Clemente among her favorite pit stops. “You have to get the mussels there; they’re incredible.” (Former Orange County Register food critic Brad Johnson, who praised the San Clemente location in 2019, also agrees.) Kirschenheiter gives props to South Swell Ice Cream, also located in San Clemente, as a choice spot for dessert and an Instagram moment under its “dip me” pink neon signage. “It’s so cute, you get great ice cream and you can get a super cute picture.”
SEE ALSO: Heritage Barbecue changed OC’s restaurant landscape — and beyond. Here’s how they did it.
As for places she wants to try, San Juan Capistrano’s Heritage Barbecue, considered one of the best barbecue joints in California, sits at the top of her culinary list. “I’m so happy for them because they’re obviously crushing it, but I can’t get in because the line goes down the block,” she says. “I think one day I’m going to send Travis down there to wait in line because I want it so bad.”
The native Long Islander gives high marks to more relatable spots like Taco Bell and Del Taco. “We didn’t have El Pollo Loco where I’m from — I could eat El Pollo Loco everyday.”
As for the Quiet Woman (or “the Q-dub,” as fans of the show call it), she doesn’t visit its hallowed halls too often. “I’ve been there a handful of times, but to be honest, it’s not really a part of my ‘Housewives’ history because it’s simply not where I live,” she says, adding, “But whenever my girlfriends from the East Coast visit, we’ll go there. We’ve even reenacted some scenes from the show for photos.”
Along with fellow housewives Shannon Beador and Emily Simpson, Kirschenheiter has the distinction of coming aboard the Bravo franchise midway through its run, becoming a hit with fans, and not turning into a one-and-done player, a bungle that befalls many a housewife unable to make past their first season.
Kirschenheiter, who works as a real estate agent when the cameras are off, hopes to act as a representative for South County. “I think South County is very underrepresented down here … there’s so much rich history combined with very good food and culture.”
